Building a Community of Lifelong Learners: Building a Community of Lifelong Learners: Connecting K-12 and College Connecting K-12 and College Information Literacy StandardsInformation Literacy Standards

Ellysa Stern CahoyEllysa Stern CahoyInformation Literacy LibrarianInformation Literacy Librarian

Penn State UniversityPenn State University

November 3, 2004November 3, 2004

Today’s PresentationToday’s Presentation

IntroductionIntroduction Comparing the AASL/AECT and ACRL Comparing the AASL/AECT and ACRL

Information Literacy StandardsInformation Literacy Standards Examples of K-20 CollaborationExamples of K-20 Collaboration What Can SLMSs do?What Can SLMSs do? What Can Academic Librarians do?What Can Academic Librarians do? Questions / CommentsQuestions / Comments

Comparing the StandardsComparing the Standards

K-12:K-12: Information Literacy Standards for Information Literacy Standards for Student LearningStudent Learning (AASL/AECT, 1998) (AASL/AECT, 1998)

Post-Secondary:Post-Secondary: Information Literacy Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Competency Standards for Higher EducationEducation (ACRL, 2000) (ACRL, 2000)

A Comparison of the Basic Tenets of the ACRL Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education

and the AASL / AECT Information Literacy Standards for Student Learning

AASL/AECT K-12 Standards ACRL Post-Secondary Standards

An Information literate individual is able to:

Determine the extent of information needed

Access information efficiently and effectively

Access the needed information effectively and efficiently

Evaluate information critically and competently

Evaluate information and its sources critically

Incorporate selected information into one’s knowledge base

Use information accurately and creatively

Use information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose

Addressed within the three Social Responsibility standards

Understand the economic, legal and social issues surrounding the use of

information, and access and use information ethically and legally

Comparing the StandardsComparing the Standards

AASL/AECT K-12 StandardsAASL/AECT K-12 Standards ComprehensiveComprehensive in scope in scope Address “Address “appreciation of literatureappreciation of literature and other and other

creative expressions of information”creative expressions of information” Emphasize the development of the student as an Emphasize the development of the student as an

independent learnerindependent learner and a and a socially responsible socially responsible personperson

Comparing the StandardsComparing the Standards

ACRL Post-Secondary StandardsACRL Post-Secondary Standards Almost entirely focused on Almost entirely focused on cognitive skillscognitive skills Developed as a Developed as a work-in-progresswork-in-progress to be revisited to be revisited Highly practicalHighly practical, with detailed competencies, with detailed competencies Should be viewed as Should be viewed as a “continuum of the a “continuum of the

AASL/AECT standards”AASL/AECT standards”

Why Do We Need to Know Why Do We Need to Know About the ACRL Standards?About the ACRL Standards?

A model for K-12/College collaborationA model for K-12/College collaboration With the AASL standards, represents a With the AASL standards, represents a

complete picturecomplete picture of the of the information information competenciescompetencies that our students must learn that our students must learn

Lend clarity and added detailLend clarity and added detail to skills to skills defined in the AASL standardsdefined in the AASL standards

What Isn’t Covered What Isn’t Covered in the ACRL Standards?in the ACRL Standards?

Affective SkillsAffective Skills How do your students How do your students feelfeel about the library and about the library and

academic research?academic research?

Library AnxietyLibrary Anxiety Four Causes of Library AnxietyFour Causes of Library Anxiety (Mellon, 1986) (Mellon, 1986)

• the the sizesize of the library of the library• a a lack of knowledgelack of knowledge about where things are about where things are locatedlocated• how to beginhow to begin• what to dowhat to do

Examples of K-20 CollaborationExamples of K-20 Collaboration

Nationally:Nationally: AASL/ACRL Blueprint for CollaborationAASL/ACRL Blueprint for Collaboration AASL/ACRL Information Literacy Task ForceAASL/ACRL Information Literacy Task Force

Pennsylvania:Pennsylvania: K-16 Councils K-16 Councils

• ((North Central PA Regional K-16 CouncilNorth Central PA Regional K-16 Council)) PSU Center for Science and the Schools PSU Center for Science and the Schools

(CSATS)(CSATS)

K-16 Councils StatewideK-16 Councils Statewide

K-20 Library CollaborationK-20 Library Collaboration

Collaborative ModelsCollaborative Models Academic Library Academic Library “Warmth Seminar”“Warmth Seminar” Research Field TripResearch Field Trip to an academic library to an academic library Cooperative Cooperative borrowing privilegesborrowing privileges

What Can SLMSs Do?What Can SLMSs Do?

Evaluate the scope and sequence of Evaluate the scope and sequence of your library’s curriculum in relation to your library’s curriculum in relation to each set of standardseach set of standards Selecting an Selecting an appropriateappropriate academic research academic research

topictopic Delineating between Delineating between freely available Web freely available Web

resourcesresources and articles available via and articles available via online online subscription databasessubscription databases

Emphasizing conceptsEmphasizing concepts rather than processes rather than processes

What Can SLMSs Do?What Can SLMSs Do?

Reach out to other schools in your areaReach out to other schools in your area Contact an academic librarian about bringing Contact an academic librarian about bringing

your students in for a tour/instruction sessionyour students in for a tour/instruction session

Collaborate with librarians at other Collaborate with librarians at other educational levelseducational levels Consider the information literacy skills that are Consider the information literacy skills that are

being addressed above and below the grade being addressed above and below the grade levels that you reach.levels that you reach.

What Can SLMSs Do?What Can SLMSs Do?

Explore and implement Explore and implement performance-based assessment methodsperformance-based assessment methods Research logsResearch logs ConferencingConferencing E-PortfoliosE-Portfolios ConferencingConferencing

Assessment examples and strategies for Assessment examples and strategies for implementation are detailed in implementation are detailed in Information Information PowerPower

What Can Public Librarians Do?What Can Public Librarians Do?

Develop and promote programs for Develop and promote programs for college-bound studentscollege-bound students Career Development programsCareer Development programs Homework AssistanceHomework Assistance

Reinforce within school-age patronsReinforce within school-age patrons

a love of libraries and lifelong learninga love of libraries and lifelong learning

What Can What Can Academic Librarians Do?Academic Librarians Do?

Reach out to local SLMSs to form Reach out to local SLMSs to form collaborative partnershipscollaborative partnerships

Provide opportunities for freshmen and Provide opportunities for freshmen and new students to get to know the library new students to get to know the library in a in a fun, non-threatening atmospherefun, non-threatening atmosphere

Include Include information competenciesinformation competencies as a as a graduation requirementgraduation requirement

The Academic Library TodayThe Academic Library Today

Which One is Your Which One is Your Typical College Librarian?Typical College Librarian?

Today’s academic library: Today’s academic library: an oasis of quiet, intellectual reflection…an oasis of quiet, intellectual reflection…

Or a fun, exciting place with lots of Or a fun, exciting place with lots of friendly people to help you?friendly people to help you?

Can we introduce our students to the Can we introduce our students to the excitement and rigors of academic research…excitement and rigors of academic research…

……Without overwhelming Without overwhelming them in the process?them in the process?

YES WE CAN!YES WE CAN!Provided that we work together Provided that we work together

to bridge the K-12/College divide!to bridge the K-12/College divide!

Questions / Comments?Questions / Comments?

Ellysa Stern CahoyEllysa Stern CahoyInformation Literacy LibrarianInformation Literacy Librarian

Penn State UniversityPenn State Universityecahoy@psu.eduecahoy@psu.edu